USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks

Lumberjacks Log: Alumni Game Raises Big Money for Charity

Published on February 15, 2012 under United States Hockey League (USHL)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, Mich. (February 15, 2012) - The Muskegon alumni team got the better of the Detroit Red Wings alumni Saturday night at L.C. Walker Arena, but the big winner was the Muskegon Lumberjacks Charitable Foundation.

The Lumberjacks are pleased to announce the Red Wings Alumni Game, which attracted a lively sellout crowd of 4,802 local hockey fans, and the entire Alumni Weekend raised a total of $24,334 to benefit the MLCF.

"The outpouring of support from the community was great to see, especially since our programs are so new," said Lumberjacks Community Relations Director Sarah Lambert. "It makes me excited for the future.

"With these funds we'll be able to reach many more kids on our Reading Caravan and employ additional youth hockey initiatives as well."

Add the Saturday spectacular to Friday's Robin Bouchard retirement ceremony and last weekend was a true celebration of the sport that has long owned Muskegon's heart. But while nostalgia ruled in West Michigan, the USHL's Lumberjacks (12-20-5, 29 points) provided hope for the immediate future as they closed a three-game weekend with a pair of impressive road results.

For just the second time this year, Muskegon rallied to force overtime when trailing after two periods, as they came back against Indiana to earn a point in a 6-5 Ice OT win. Ryan Lomberg - who was named USHL Offensive Player of the Week after a six-point weekend - completed a two-goal rally to tie the game 4-4 in the third, then Tyler Heinonen knotted the score 5-5 with two minutes to go after Indiana snatched the lead back.

Lomberg and Heinonen scored again Sunday afternoon in Youngstown, but the day belonged to rookie goalie Hayden Stewart, who made 43 saves and also stopped a penalty shot in a 4-3 Jacks shootout victory. The win snapped Muskegon's eight-game road winless streak (0-5-3), which dated back to Nov. 12.

The Lumberjacks hope to carry the positive energy into this week, when they play three road games in four days against Eastern Conference opponents. Dubuque is first on the docket Friday night at 8:05 p.m. Eastern time, with a trip to Chicago following Saturday at 8 p.m.

Muskegon will finish the stretch with their only Monday match of the season, set for 3 p.m. in Ann Arbor against the National Under-17 Team. The Jacks trail the NTDP by 11 points for the sixth and final playoff spot in the East; the two teams have four meetings left this season.

The Meijer Pregame Show begins 30 minutes prior to every opening faceoff on the radio home of your Lumberjacks, 92.5 The Outlaw (925fmtheoutlaw.com). Voice of the Jacks Matt Gajtka will have the play-by-play.

UPCOMING GAMES (Home games bolded; all times Eastern)

* Friday, February 17 @ DUBUQUE at 8:05 p.m. * Saturday, February 28 @ CHICAGO at 8 p.m. * Monday, February 20 @ NATIONAL UNDER-17 TEAM at 3 p.m. * Friday, February 24 vs. INDIANA at 7:15 p.m. - Dollar Beer/Dollar Hot Dog Night presented by John Morrell. Offer stands from 6-8 p.m. * Saturday, February 25 vs. INDIANA at 7:15 p.m. - Give Blood, Play Hockey / The Jacks and the Red Cross will be hosting a blood drive at L.C. Walker Arena from 10:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Contact Sarah Lambert at slambert@muskegonlumberjacks.com to sign up! * Sunday, February 26 @ GREEN BAY at 4:05 p.m.

JACKS FACTS

* Lomberg (Maine) is the first Lumberjack to earn a weekly league honor this season. The 17-year-old has scored at least a point in three straight games and 10 of the last 13 dating back to Dec. 17. He also started his first USHL season strongly, with nine points in his first 12 games. In addition, Lomberg leads the Jacks with 13 goals; he has nine of those in his last 10 matches. * For as hot as Lomberg has been lately, fellow rookie Heinonen has been nearly as prolific, scoring 11 points in his last 11 games. Seven of those points have been goals, giving the Michigan Tech recruit 10 on the year, placing him fourth on the Jacks. The 6-foot winger from Delano, Minn., is also working on a four-game point streak. * The Lumberjacks were strong in one-on-one situations Sunday in Youngstown. First, goaltender Stewart, making just his fourth USHL appearance, denied top Phantoms sniper Austin Cangelosi on a penalty shot with 1:55 left in the third, setting up overtime. Heinonen and Joe Cox then scored in the tiebreaker to deliver the Jacks' first shootout win of the season.

ALUMNI ON THE ATTACK

* Ryan Misiak turned in the first two-goal game of his Mercyhurst career in Friday's 3-1 home win over Robert Morris. He added an assist Saturday night in the second game of the home-and-home to give him 12 points for the Lakers (15-11-4, 12-5-4 Atlantic Hockey) after pacing the Jacks with 58 last year.

* Matt Berry led last year's Lumberjacks with 25 goals, and the Canton, Mich., product has continued his sniping ways for Michigan State (16-12-4, 11-10-3 CCHA). Berry netted his 10th of the season Friday against Michigan, the eventual game winner in a 3-2 Spartans victory.

* Niagara (13-10-8, 12-6-6 Atlantic Hockey) bounced back from a winless weekend with a 4-1 Valentine's Day win at Canisius. Chris Lochner had one of the Purple Eagles' goals, giving him eight in the last eight games and a team-leading 10. A native of Georgia, Lochner had 12 goals and 25 points for the Jacks in 2010-11.

* Casey Thrush recorded an assist as New Hampshire (12-14-3, 9-11-2 Hockey East) enjoyed a 1-0-1 weekend against conference rivals Northeastern and Merrimack. Thrush now has 10 points, placing him third among freshman scorers on the Wildcats. The Maryland native had 28 points in Muskegon last season.

TALKIN' HOCKEY

JackSixty presented by Cinema Carousel is a weekly hour-long talk show devoted to your Muskegon Lumberjacks Tuesday nights from 6-7 p.m. at Hennessy's Irish Pub & Restaurant. Located at the corner of Jefferson and Clay Streets in the heart of Muskegon, Hennessy's plays host as Gajtka and co-host Antonio Bartoli talk hockey with Lumberjacks coaches, players and other featured guests on 98.3 FM WLCS!

THE SOCIAL NETWORKS Never go hungry for Jacks news: "Like" the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Facebook and follow "@MuskegonJacks" on Twitter to stay plugged into the Jacks 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Also, find the Jacks' exclusive YouTube channel at youtube.com/MuskegonJacks!

The Muskegon Lumberjacks are proud members of the United States Hockey League, the nation's only Tier I junior hockey league and the leading producer of NCAA players and National Hockey League draft picks in the United States. The Lumberjacks' organization prides itself on developing not just premier hockey talent, but also exceptional young men outside the arena of sports. For more information, visit muskegonlumberjacks.com.

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United States Hockey League Stories from February 15, 2012


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